A/N: set the night after the lacrosse match. Scott and Derek have a confrontation in the woods.

Derek glared at the younger wolf with an expression of intense loathing and hatred. He had risked exposing them, potentially ruined everything. Yes, he'd got away with it but just barely. The boy was a fool. A stubborn, young fool who didn't deserve the gift he'd been given. Scott just looked back at Derek with barely concealed contempt and smugness in his eyes.

"I told you not to go" Derek eventually growled out.

"And i told you there was no chance in hell of me not going. And i went, and it was fine so what are you so annoyed about?"

"You risked everything tonight! You risked exposing us to the hunters and..." Derek stopped suddenly, head cocked to one side. Scott frowned.

"What is it?" he asked. The atmosphere has suddenly become tense but not angry tense like it had been before.

"Shhh" said Derek. Scott took a step towards him. Suddenly, Derek ran. Scott considered his options. Follow or go home. He wanted to leave but a strange sense of loyalty made him grit his teeth and chase after the older wolf.

Derek dashed through the trees in search of a sound only he could hear. Scott chased after him, so intent on his path that when Derek stopped suddenly, he almost bumped into him.

"What is it?" Scott hissed his earlier question. Derek silenced him with a look and pointed through the bushes. Scott looked and saw flashlights moving through the darkness.

"Hunters" whispered Derek "they're following something" Both wolves watched as a figure sprinted through the darkness, pursued by three hunters.

"That's Alison's father" said Scott, pointing at one. Derek didn't reply, all his attention focused on the hunters' target. The slim figure moved like a deer, agily darting through the trees. One of the hunters raised a shotgun, took aim and fired. Derek watched the bullet fly through the air as if in slow motion. It hit the figure in the shoulder and they cried out, but didn't stop.

"What do we do?" asked Scott, his panic rising at the sight of his girlfriend's father leading an attack on a seemingless helpless victim. Derek considered. He knew he should get himself and Scott to safety but for some reason he felt as if he needed to aid this mystery person "Derek?"

"Okay. I've got an idea" said Derek. Scott looked at him expectantly. Derek punched him in the jaw and pushed him out of the bushes. Scott's eyes flashed yellow and he let out a loud growl. The hunters' heads shot up at the sound. Scott snarled again, his bloodlust taking control of him, and he disappeared into the trees. The hunters split up, two heading after Scott while the other continued the original pursuit.
Derek followed the scent of freshly spilt blood, keeping to the shadows. He could hear a heartbeat nearby but it seemed to be slowing. He peered out from the bracken and his eyes landed on a still form lying on the ground. He approached it warily and stared in surprised. It was a girl. Her skin glowed in the moonlight, her clothes were torn and stained with blood. Derek thought for a moment. He couldn't leave her here. He wasn't that much of a monster. He picked up the girl and headed back to his house. He could hear the hunters moving around nearby but didn't see them so he guessed Scott was keeping them distracted. He felt a twinge of guilt at the way he'd used the younger wolf but he decided it was a fair punishment for his disobedience.

He reached the remains of his house and headed upstairs, the unconcious girl in his arms. He wasn't sure where to put her and eventually opted for his room since it was the only one that had furniture. Gently, he lay the girl out on his bed and fetched his first aid kit. He had to tear the sleeve of her shirt slightly to get at the injury. The tiny sound stirred the girl and her eyelids fluttered. Derek stilled, unsure what he would do if she woke up. He wasn't good with people, not even his sister who he'd been closer to then anybody.
Fortunately, she merely muttered, then quietened again. Derek continued with his work. Bullet wounds were something he knew about so it was an easy matter to remove it and stitch up the wound. It wouldn't win any prizes and most doctors would be horrified but the scar would be small and there was low risk of infection. Now all he could do was wait for Scott to return and the girl to recover enough to wake up. He wondered which would happen first.